The dating app reported the conversations to the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States, which handed the information onto the Australian Federal Police.

Detectives say they traced the conversations to Canberra man James Stuart Logue, 29.

"Hello, I pay you 30,000 Baht to find me young girl for sex," court documents allege the man wrote in the dating app.

"I want girl age 8-16.

"I like small skinny girl ... the younger she is the more money I pay."

In another chat, the man was allegedly asked: "So here just for sex travelling".

To which he replied: "Yes".

Detectives from the AFP's child protection operations arrested Mr Logue at his home in Farrer on Wednesday night.

During a search of the property officers found an Apple iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy and a Google Pixel.

Mr Logue gave police log in details for his devices and online accounts.

Police will allege when they examined the phones they found child exploitation material.

It's alleged the man admitted to using the app to prepare to procure a child for sex in Thailand.

Mr Logue was charged with two counts of preparing or planning to engage in sexual intercourse with a child outside of Australia, and one count of using a carriage service for child exploitation.

Court documents say that inquiries with the Department of Home Affairs showed Mr Logue had flown to Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur this year.

For his last trip, he reported spending most of his time abroad in Thailand.

He faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Thursday where he applied for bail.

His duty solicitor told the court Mr Logue had said he "probably would not have acted on [the messages]" and that it was "more of a fantasy".

She said Mr Logue would surrender his phones and would agree to not access the internet if granted bail.

The court heard Mr Logue works as a chef and could reside with a friend or his parents.

But bail was refused by Acting Chief Magistrate Glenn Theakston.

Mr Theakston held concerns Mr Logue could interfere with evidence stored on his communication devices and detained Mr Logue so police officers could gather all available evidence.

The man is due back in court next week.